Bob took a shaky step forward, feeling like everyone was watching. And in a way, they were. Dozens of students crowded around, eyes curious and excited. He felt their stares on his back, like tiny sparks of judgment. The orb sat on its pedestal—cool, smooth, and softly glowing.

Bob's heart pounded. Just... don't mess this up, he told himself. No smell, no mess, just... normal magic. Whatever that meant.

He reached out and touched the orb. It felt cold against his hand, a chill spreading through his fingers. He closed his eyes and focused on his mana. The orb started glowing—a soft blue at first. Bob let out a small breath. Maybe this is gonna work.

Then the glow got brighter. And brighter. And... brighter.

The blue light shifted to white, then to a blinding gold, filling the courtyard with a heat that pressed against everyone's faces like the sun had fallen right out of the sky. Students shielded their eyes, their murmurs growing louder with every second. Bob tried to pull his hand away, but it felt glued to the orb, like it wouldn't let go.

The orb began to hum. A deep, vibrating hum that Bob could feel in his teeth, in his bones. It started shaking violently, rattling on the pedestal as cracks snaked across its surface. "Uh-oh..." he whispered, trying to wrench his hand free, but the orb held on tighter, like it was drinking in his mana, hungry and desperate.

Then—CRACK!

The orb exploded with a loud bang, crystal shards shooting out like shrapnel. Students screamed and ducked, teachers threw up magic shields, and Bob... just stood there, his hand outstretched, not quite sure what had happened.

The ground trembled as a wave of magic burst from the shattered orb. Light and dust swirled in the air until it finally settled. Bob blinked in confusion, surrounded by shards of the orb like scattered glass.

The stunned silence broke into whispers and shouts.

"What was that?!"

"He broke the orb!"

"Is he... dangerous? That's gotta be some kind of magic!"

The teachers gathered, their faces showing awe and suspicion. An older mage with a pointy hat muttered, "Such power... but what kind? I've never seen an orb do that." Another nodded, frowning. "The mana... too strong. Unstable, like it could burst any moment." A third mage, unimpressed, grumbled, "Might be dangerous. Wild magic like that could mean trouble."

Professor Emberlin stayed calm throughout the chaos. She stepped forward, her eyes sharp as she studied Bob. She said nothing, but her gaze asked a silent question—Who are you, and why are you here?

Bob opened his mouth to apologize, but no words came. He wasn't sure what to say anyway. "Uh... sorry?" he managed, his hand dropping to his side, face bright red.

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At the back of the group, a young man stood alone, watching with a smile. His name was Merlin, and his eyes sparkled as he stared at Bob. "That... was something special," Merlin murmured, just loud enough for a nearby mage to hear.

"Special? That was chaos!" the mage shot back.

"No," Merlin said calmly. "There's more to it. A magic aura... but different. Strong, but... wild."

Bob didn't see Merlin looking at him. He was too busy trying to disappear. Just when he thought things couldn't get worse, that familiar ding! rang out.

"Congratulations, User!" P.U.M.A. announced cheerfully, and a golden pop-up filled Bob's vision. "You have reached a record-breaking level of magical potency! The first orb-breaker in academy history!"

Bob cringed, wishing the notification away. He glanced at Professor Emberlin, whose face was tight with disapproval. "I-I'm sorry!" he stammered, waving his hands like it would somehow fix everything. "I didn't mean to—"

It was too late. Teachers hurried to clean up, casting spells to clear the shards and calm the students. Somewhere in the back, Cooper was failing to hide his laughter, muttering, "You sure know how to make an entrance, Pooper."

Bob hung his head, feeling the embarrassment settle over him. Great, he thought. First test, and I've already messed it up—literally.

The dust settled, and the last of the shards were swept away. Bob quickly shuffled back to Cooper, who was still chuckling. "You really know how to steal the show," Cooper said, nudging him. "But hey, at least they'll remember you."

Bob rubbed his neck and forced a smile. "Yeah, let's hope they remember me for passing the test, not breaking it." He laughed, but inside he was shaken. How did things go wrong so quickly? But maybe—just maybe—they'd see the power he had and overlook the whole explosion thing. He clung to that hope as Emberlin cleared her throat, silencing the crowd.

"Let's continue," she said, waving her hand to summon a new orb—a smooth crystal that floated gently into place. One by one, the other students finished their potency test, and Bob felt relieved to be out of the spotlight.

When the last student finished, Emberlin stepped forward to six polished stones, each on its own pedestal. They shone in the sun, each a different color: red, blue, brown, white, gold, and black.

"These," Emberlin announced, her voice echoing over the courtyard, "are the Elemental Affinity Stones. They'll show what kind of magic you have—fire, water, earth, air, light, or dark. Step forward when called."

The students' eyes sparkled with excitement. This was it—their chance to prove their magic.

"Blackthorne, Cooper," Emberlin called. Cooper cracked his knuckles like he was getting ready to show off.

"Watch and learn," he whispered to Bob with a grin. "And do something cool when it's your turn."

Bob tried to smile, but his stomach churned. "Yeah... sure, something cool," he muttered, wondering how he was going to get through this.

Cooper walked up to the stones, full of confidence. He headed straight for the Fire Stone, glowing red, and touched it. Instantly, the stone burst into flames, swirling around his hand like they were showing off too. The fire grew, twisting into shapes like dragons and tigers before fading away. The other stones barely reacted—a little flicker, a faint glow—but the Fire Stone clearly chose him.

"Very good," Professor Emberlin said with a nod. "Strong fire affinity."

The crowd clapped, and Cooper beamed, turning back to Bob with a wink. "Beat that, Pooper!" he said playfully. "And try not to blow anything up."

Bob laughed nervously, his legs heavy as stone. He prayed the stones wouldn't go wild like the orb did. But knowing his luck in this world, things rarely went smoothly.

He gulped, staring at the stones as if they were about to explode.

And then his name was called.